


Territory

by ancalime8301



Series: Spencer Stories [6]
Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle, The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Genre: Animal Instincts, Cats, Community: watsons_woes, Gen, Mice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 14:39:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15269643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ancalime8301/pseuds/ancalime8301
Summary: Spencer has to defend what's his.





	Territory

**Author's Note:**

> For watsons_woes July Writing Prompt #12: _Your Reputation Precedes You. The disadvantage in having a reputation is that people know who you are. Let that work to a character’s disadvantage in today’s entry._
> 
> Characters from The Great Mouse Detective (i.e. Dawson) are only referenced, not actually present. Mentions events from [Small Mercies](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1998876).

After three successive days of witnessing mice openly traversing his territory despite his presence in the window, Spencer stepped up his patrols of the alley where he could catch the offenders out of sight of the two-legged ones. Some mouse traffic was to be expected, with the healer mouse and his companion living there under his protection, but those mice were always cautious in traversing the shadows lest they be seen.

It wasn't long before he came upon a pair of mice, one squeaking in fright as the other menacingly advanced upon her. Spencer leapt into the fray, quickly pinning the aggressive mouse and allowing the other to flee. He recognized the mouse as one he'd seen trespassing before and he may have leaned a little harder on that paw. "You are in my territory. Why?"

The mouse under his paw didn't struggle and instead sneered up at him. "I ain't afraid of you. Everybody knows you let mice come and go as they please."

Another mouse must have seen him let the healer mouse go that one time, for the healer mouse himself never would have spread such a rumor. He needed to act, and quickly, or that inaccurate reputation would find its way to the cats and he'd have challengers for his turf, and maybe the kind two-legged one would decide that one of the other cats was a more agreeable companion. That could not be borne.

"Do I really?" he replied, slowly showing all of his teeth in a deadly grin.

He only played with his prey a little bit, just enough that the mouse showed the appropriate amount of fear before Spencer neatly ended him. He left the body near the healer mouse's front door, then proceeded back to the alley to keep watch, his tail held high.

His message would be received, or he would have the pleasure of toying with another no-good mouse. He would be satisfied either way.


End file.
